Sanford Veterinary Clinic and ‘Cammi' the Clinic cat with a bit of help from Vet Nurse Samantha would love you to enter your pet in our ‘Pet of the month' Competition.

We will upload your pet's photo entry onto our Facebook page with a short description of them. You can do this by sending your photo to our email address
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. Each month we choose one winner and they will receive fantastic prizes.

The prizes can include; dog or cat biscuits, flea products, shampoos, beds and some fun toys for your pet. Your pet's photo and a short story will then be published in our email newsletter that we send our clients.

Also winners will be uploaded to our new website Photo Gallery (check out the past winners) as well as featured on our Facebook page. We look forward to seeing your pet's photos and short description sometime soon.

We had so many fantastic entries for our xmas photo completion. In the end we had to pick two winners. Cammi the clinic cat and all the team at Sanford Veterinary Clinic would like to congratulate 'Princess, Jess & Whicksy' sent in by Allie and 'Bodi & Indi' sent in by Taryn and Michael. Hope you all enjoy your xmas prizes!

Did you know that 10 female fleas can multiply to more than 25,000 fleas in only 30 days, turning “one little flea” into a full-blown infestation?

Thankfully there is a great product available to control fleas on your dog - Comfortis®! Comfortis provides fast-acting, month long control of fleas. It starts killing fleas within 30 minutes and is 100 per cent effective within just four hours. This rapid mode of action means that Comfortis breaks the flea life cycle by killing fleas before they get a chance to lay their eggs, which stops the ‘explosion’ of flea numbers.

Your dog will love the taste of the beef-flavoured chewable tablet and because it works from inside the dog, it can’t be shaken, washed or shampooed off!

Ask us if Comfortis is the right protection for your dog or visit the about Comfortis page to learn more before your next visit. We also have a video testimonial you can view here

Felix and Fergus are feline neighbours and love to fight. They are constantly getting into scraps over females and both have the scars to prove it.

Unfortunately, no one was aware that Felix was infected with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and that he had transmitted it to Fergus.

FIV is spread via cat bites, commonly sustained during a cat fight. Cats infected with FIV may appear normal for years however the infection can eventually lead to a failure of the cat’s immune system. This makes them much more susceptible to bacterial, viral and fungal infections and they are also at greater risk of developing certain cancers.

Other signs include:

a recurrent fever

slow and progressive weight loss

poor coat condition

FIV infection was suspected when Fergus presented with a sudden fever after a recent fight. Infection in both cats was confirmed with a simple blood test.

Both Felix and Fergus will need to be monitored closely and kept away from other cats to prevent spreading the virus. Once infected with FIV there is no cure.

Importantly, there is a vaccine available to help protect your cat against FIV. Find out more information here or ask us about protecting your feline friend.

It can occur at anytime, on your best rug or on your white bedspread; dreaded vomiting or diarrhoea. There are many causes of vomiting and diarrhoea and they can occur alone or together. In all cases, your pet can become rapidly dehydrated.

A common question we are often asked is, "What can I do at home?"

Specific treatments are dependent on the cause but here is a general approach to help you out:

1. If your pet vomits once and/or has a small amount of diarrhoea but then appears normal and eats normally with no further vomiting or diarrhoea then the problem may resolve on its own

2. If not, withhold food and water for four to six hours. Give the stomach "time to rest" for a few hours

3. If your pet has not vomited by the end of this time:

Offer small amounts of water (a few tablespoons at a time)

Gradually offer a bland diet. Steamed chicken (no bones, skin or fat) and boiled white rice are perfect or a bland prescription diet from us

Give small amounts frequently (small meatball size) every 3 to 4 hours, for the first day. Feed this bland diet for 2-3 days

If there is no more vomiting or diarrhoea, gradually mix in your pet's regular food (over 2-3 days)

4. Following a bout of vomiting or diarrhoea you should always observe bowel movements, urination and thirst and watch for any secret vomits

5. If your dog vomits several times and/or has diarrhoea repeatedly, or appears unwell, an appointment should be made with us.

Pepper, the Cocker Spaniel had been shaking his head and rubbing his ears along the side of the couch. His owner’s had noticed a bad smell and were reluctant to snuggle up with him on the couch at night. Both of his ears were hot and very sore to touch.

His ears were examined with an otoscope; an instrument that shines light into the ear canal. Both canals were red and full of wax. A sample was gently collected and examined under the microscope revealing a yeast infection.

Pepper suffers from allergies and when his ears become irritated, his constant itching makes them red and sore. Yeast love warm, dark and damp conditions, and Pepper’s inflamed ears are the perfect environment for yeast to reproduce.

What to watch out for:

• Scratching or rubbing the ears • Head shaking • An abnormal odour or discharge from the ear• Pain when you manipulate the ear • Redness and swelling of the external ear canal

Pepper went home with an ointment to settle the inflammation and kill the yeast. A week later, he came back to the clinic a much happier dog and repeat examination revealed that the medication had resolved the infection.

If your pet has sore, itchy or smelly ears, call us for an appointment as the sooner we start treatment the better.